Arambol Part 3

After a couple days lazing by the beach I decide to attempt the climb to the very top of the headland. After a sweaty ten minutes of precariously making my way up the side of the cliff I reach it summit. To my right is a small Christian shrine in the shape of a boat, to look out over the fishermen, to my left is a much more pleasant site, a large Frangipani tree in front of a small shrine dedicated to Shiva, although it hosted a number of other deities. Both shrines had a variety of offerings, ranging from fruit to money (on a later trip up to the headland I noticed that the money had always been whisked away, by the Gods...hhhmmm?) and occasional candle or stick of incense would be burning, which always freaked me out a little as there was never anyone to be seen. Regardless, the breeze was always refreshing at the top and I found myself whiling away the hours reading in the relative tranquillity of the headland, although the occasional worker ant would give you the odd nip if you made yourself too comfortable.

Christian boat shrine

Fangipani Tree and Arambol Beach

Shiva Shrine

My week in Arambol is nearly over, I spent my second to last night sampling the local tipple, Cashew Feni. My Bavarian friend kindly declined my offer to buy one for her claiming she was not a big drinker, although I suspect she had maybe encountered the feni, if not in this life than a previous, believe me the taste would linger that long. It did smell like cashews, more the tree and the sap that come off it rather than the nut itself however it taste like molten plastic, burning the whole way down and leaving a most unpleasant after taste. The waiter assured me its good for the body and the soul, I don't think either of those thanked me for it. An hour later and it was consumed and I followed it, much more swiftly, with the local, more palatable, brandy 'Honey-Bee'.

The next morning, suffering a little bit of hangover I decided that I would stay one more day, delaying my move to Panjim, the capital, to the next day. With my friends departed I decided to have a quiet evening and scale the headland land for the last time. There was always a certain haze over this part of the coast which dampened the sunset a little, tonight was no different but with the local fishermen heading out one by one it added a little to the sunset, I watched them slowly chug by from my elevated perch and wondered what Panjim would have in store for me!